Bagong DADDY Series - To ENGLISH or NOT to ENGLISH

Tanong ko lang naman: 

"Dapat ba o hindi dapat gamitin ang English bilang mode of communication sa pagpapalaki ng bagets?"

Sa Pinas, at lalo na dito sa UAE, halos lahat ng mga bagets na nakakasalamuha ko e puro ume-English.  Minsan nga nagugulat na lang ako dahil duguan na pala ako nang hindi ko nalalaman.  Minsan naman, bigla na lang akong maduduwal 'pag pinilit kong makipag-usap sa kanila.  O kaya, sasakit na lang ang ulo ko tapos hihimatayin na lang ako bigla.

Naiisip ko lang naman. 

Paano kung dumating ang pagkakataong kailangan kong turuan ng leksyon ang anak ko?  Parang ang hirap naman magsermon sa English!  Tapos iisipin ko pa kung tama ba ang grammar ko.  O dapat bang may accent o twang ang sermon ko? 

Tapos syempre sasagutin nya ko in English, e sa sobrang silakbo ng aking damdamin, maaring hindi ko na ma-explain ang point ko, baka mabulol-bulol  pa ko ngayon.  So ano ang gagawin ko?  Siguro ang sasabihin ko na lang, "GO TO YOUR ROOM."  Pero ang 'di alam ng anak ko, matagal ko nang inaral ang ganitong sitwasyon, hehe.

Tapos sa Pinas pa, 'pag spokening English ang anak mo, ang connotation agad --- wow batang bibo, wow anak-mayaman, wow laking-abroad!  Parang may 100% audience impact agad ang anak mo 'pag natsa-challenge silang kausapin sya. 

E syempre ang kinakausap naman ng anak mo, hindi papatalo.  Gagamit pa sila ng mga malalalim na salita tulad ng actually, basically, o sa matindihang usapan, gagamit sila ng pamatay na -- consequently (na may kasamang raised eyebrows for added effect). 

Eto ba ang gusto ko?

Sa palagay ko, hindi naman masamang turuan ang bagets ng English o maging magaling s'ya sa English.  O kahit very deep English pa.

Ang sisiguraduhin ko lang siguro e maging bihasa din s'ya sa Tagalog (at konteng French, aba naman).  Ang pangit naman kasi na Pinoy s'ya tapos puro twang lang ang alam.  

Sa palagay ko rin, wala sa English ang success ng isang bagets.  Ang mahalaga lang siguro ay marunong s'yang makipagcommunicate at kakayanin nyang makipagsabayan ma-Tagalog man or English.

Ewan ko sa inyo pero si Caleb namin, tuturuan ko ng English, Tagalog at French hehe :)

Huling tanong --- magagaling bang mag-English ang mga superpowers sa Asia tulad ng China, Japan at Korea?

A Night of Testimonies

**  A transcript of Aimee's first ever testimony last December 4 held at The Evangelical Church.  I was so blessed to see my wife summoning up all her courage just to share God's goodness in our family infront of everybody.  Love you Be and I am so proud of you! **

Last night when Ate Grace Bondoc asked me if I could deliver a testimony, I was at first hesitant.  It's because I have always thought that testimonies should be something grand.  You know, the usual testimonies where you prayed so hard that a miraculous intervention and an answered prayer happened afterwards.  Or a testimony about a problem so big that you thought you can never get through...  But out of His goodness, it all amazingly disappeared!

I never had those (and I sure hope that I'll never will).  What I want to share with you tonight are the simple wonders that I am experiencing right now as a maturing christian, a new mother and a wife. 

As you see, if God is able to answer mountain-like problems or solve mission impossible circumstances, how much more will He respond to simple day-to-day prayers?  Let me share with you one by one.

PRAYING FOR OUR SON, CALEB RICH - If you happened to be my husband's Facebook friend, you might have noticed a short declaration of faith on the sidebar.  To non-believers it may appear as arrogance; or to some a mere stint of positive thinking.  But no, it is not.  It is believing that prior to our son's emergence in this world, everything has been pre-planned for him.  That even at the time when he was still inside my womb, the Lord had already blessed him!  It is not arrogance or positive thinking --- it is making sure that our confessions and our desires are in line with God's promises in us.  It is believing that God is more capable of raising up our kid according to His will.  So thank you Lord for our kid --- at 3 months old, he is now able to navigate and walk around through his walker!

PRAYING FOR OUR OWN HOME - It is our desire to be back in the Philippines as soon as possible.  That is why it is our constant prayer that the Lord will grant us our own home.  We thought it was impossible to have a home within Metro Manila --- where asset prices are all shooting up.  We thought we would be like other newly-weds --- where buying a condo unit is the best and only option.  But no, God had not wanted us to live in a 'box.'  God wanted us to have a home with a clean title, strategically-located & on a prime location, with an abundance of sun, wind & water, and will be fully paid by this month!  We thought it was impossible, but to God, everything is possible!

I also would like to thank the Lord for our familes --- who had always been supportive.  I thank the Lord for our CG, EN, JCHGM and friends --- who always lift us up in trying times through their encouragement.  And I thank you Lord for I have a job --- because having one makes me bless others as well.

And last but not the least, I thank the Lord for my husband --- for his loving leadership taught me to constantly walk with the Lord.  He is an extraordinary husband whom I can share any physical, emotional, financial or spiritual matters and would always open my mind and inspire me to new and exciting options.  

To everybody tonight, let me share with you a Proverb:  'Death and life are in the power of the tongue and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Let us all be careful on what we confess.  Allow God and always believe that God will fulfill His promises in us.  Also, please remember that the Lord has given all of us our own Garden of Eden.  So it is really up to us on how we will make our garden prosper and produce a good harvest.

PRAISE BE TO GOD!

Aimeeee, YEY!

7,776,000 seconds ---  that's how long I've been waiting (and still waiting) till my loving wife comes back from maternity leave! 

A painstaking 129,600 minutes of going through work and living in the absence of my wife.  Each minute ticking away like a snail pacing a large stadium.

2,160 hours of staying sane, unmindful of the fact that I am alone and oftentimes making my self numb to the point of ignoring my emotions.

3 months of easy-to-cook meals (fried, microwave, freebies, take-outs or eat-ins, init-init food).

A quarter of a year that felt like ETERNITY!

But hey, my time of agony is soon coming to a halt --- Aimee is coming, YEY :)  And this is actually the last week of waiting.  Come Thursday, at 1300H Abu Dhabi time, my wife is back again! 

Oh Be, I so terribly, overly, exaggeratingly miss you so, so, so much, hehe!

So in preparation, it also means that I still have time to do the following while I still have time to spare:

1.  Major, Major Clean-up - Don't get me wrong.  I do a weekly tidying up routine.  You know the usual basang-basahan, punas-punas-the-alikabok thing, walis-walis the alikabok after punas-punas, throwing away the garbage accumulated within the week, etc.  But of course this week will be a double, make it triple, clean up project! 

2.  A Full Fridge - Need to find time to buy food and stock up.  I miss my wife's cooking and I know she misses cooking for her hubby too!  I am so glad that I will get to savour different viands soon.  (A far cry from pritong itlog, pritong hotdog, pritong maling or tocino everyday!)

3.  Running shoes, you will be running again! - we were not able to even jog when she got pregnant (of course), so we plan to exercise again (and it is an approximately 9+3 months of just munching and loading up fats down our waist). 

4.  Clothes Inventory - need to fold-up and tuck-away (for now, **wink**) those maternity dresses that she left in our cabinet.  I also have this nasty habit of pulling clothes from beneath, leaving the ones on top dangling.  Kailangan ayusin baka mapalo hehe :D

5.  and a SURPRISE!

Aimee, my Be, I honor you for being so strong all throughout our journey.  Having us apart made me realize that --- I might have done something good, to deserve someone so great as YOU!

I love you Be :)

Dear CALEB

Hey it's Daddy --- and this is my first letter to my Son . 

How are you Caleb?  If you are reading this post, it means that you are a grown up now (and my Multiply site is still around  ) and I know that you are very happy while reading this. 

How is it going so far, Son?  How's your jorney?  Let me tell you Caleb, you are up for more --- a lot of learning experiences ahead, important decisions to make and a lifetime to enjoy!  Sounds fun Son?  We hope so.

Caleb, we really can't wait to witness the fulfillment of God's promises to you.  You are bound for greatness!  You are going to surpass whatever Mommy and Daddy had accomplished; but you will stay humble as you know that your strength is from the Lord.  Just continue to learn more about God for He is your refuge.   

Do not be afraid Son for we are with you every step of the way.  We will guide you and teach you like when you were still little.  And if you ever make mistakes, just stand up again.  Life is about making mistakes (that you don't really mean to commit -- hope we're clear!) and having to learn from it. 

Love your family.  You are so blessed to have one.  Be polite and courteous to Mommy and Daddy, Lolo and Lola, Aunts and Uncle.  They all have a story to tell.  Emulate their wisdom and understand their stories.  They are well experienced so remember all the lessons of their conquests.  Savour each moment with them.  There will come a time that you may need to leave us to be with your own family.  But I guess, discussing about having your own family is too premature, hehe  .  Just the same, I want you to know that.  And if Naomi Aim is finally with us, love your sister the way we loved you. 

If you are a student, be a student!  Learn.  Be the best student that you can be.  Never get tired of doing everything on your own (that includes the projects!).  And if you need help, Mommy and Daddy will hep you.  But you have to finish your project on your own .  Lessen your gimmicks (I know it is inevitable).  Know your limitations and never succumb to peer pressure.  You are unique and God gave you a free will.  Never do something because everybody does it.  Life is about knowing what you want and doing it without hurting people around you.  Never rush to have a girlfriend.  The Lord has provided one for you, your future wife, when you were still in Mommy's tummy.  So trust God the way we trusted Him.   

Lastly Son, I suggest that you enjoy your youth.  It only comes once in your life so don't waste it bumming around.  Travel a lot!  Learn how beautiful the earth is and enjoy God's creations.  Mingle with people and learn about  different cultures.  Capture all those great moments through photography.  Learn music and play all the musical instruments that you like.  Music is the food of the soul.  Along with singing, it is a great way to vent.  Learn how to swim.  Then after swimming, try surfing.  Be 'stoked.'  I only learned about it lately and until now, I still reminisce of how challenging it is to merely stand on the board.  Really a fun time.  Be sporty. 

So Caleb, just always remember that Mommy and Daddy loves you very much!  Just promise us that you will be a good boy --- for that is all we are after Son!